This Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal makes the perfect healthy and nutritious breakfast. Full of pumpkin goodness will keep you cozy and warm all season long. 

I was in New York last week for a couple of days and couldn’t leave before having breakfast at one of my favorite spots. Located in Greenwich Village, Oatmeals is the first Oatmeal Bar. They offer a “build-your-own” oatmeal experience but also have their own signature bowls. Which I have to admit some of the combinations are pretty eccentric but I have tried different ones and all of them are great.

This time they had their season especial which is “pumpkin pie” and of course I couldn’t resist. I mean an oatmeal bowl that tastes like pumpkin pie and is also nutritious, who can resists. If you are not a big fan of oatmeal you are probably thinking is she crazy? What could be so special about an oatmeal restaurant? I mean oats cost pennies to make at home, take 2 minutes to cook and are not that good. Well, I am telling you, you need to give it a try. I can promise you won’t regret it.

Anyway since they don’t have Oatmeals in D.C. I decided to do a copycat version of their Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal. I loved how it turned out and it literally took me 10 minutes top. I didn’t add any nut butter to mine but I think adding walnut or almond butter would also work great.

Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal Substitutes

Brown Sugar- You can substitute brown sugar for maple syrup and it will also work great. You could also use other sweeteners of your choice but if you are looking for those warm cozy fall flavors definitely stick to any of these two.

Pumpkin- You can substitute the pumpkin for sweet potato although it would be called pumpkin pie anymore. But if you are not a pumpkin fan and prefer sweet potato pie instead this is a great option.

Add-Ons- You can add some granola to give it a little crunch. Or some chocolate chips to give it a nice spin. You can also top with whipped cream if you are not on the dairy-free team.

Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal

November 29, 2018

Servings: 2 servings

Difficulty: easy

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This Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal makes the perfect healthy and nutritious breakfast. Full of pumpkin goodness will keep you cozy and warm all season long.

By: Mariana Diez

Ingredients

• 1 cup oats
• 1 cups water
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1-2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 handful of pecans

Directions

• Step 1 Combine oats and waterin a small saucepan over medium heat.
• Step 2 Bring to a boil
• Step 3 reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until desired consistency is reached, about 3-5 minutes.
• Step 4 Stir in milk, pumpkin, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice until heated through, about 1 minute.
• Step 5 Serve immediately, garnished with pecans and brown sugar, if desired.

This healthy Raw Buckwheat Breakfast Porridge is one of my favorites no cook, gluten-free options for the morning. Have some fun and add any toppings you want. I added berries, cacao nibs and banana to this particular recipe but other fresh fruit or nuts/granola for crunch would work great too!

A few years ago, when we were leaving in New York City I took a two weeks Vegan Raw Food Intensive Training. The course was really fantastic since I learned a lot of new techniques which I wasn’t familiar with.

If you haven’t heard of the raw food diet, it’s based on the premise that cooking food creates toxic byproducts, and raw food retains vital nutrients and natural enzymes that our bodies need to process food. Think whole, unrefined food.

A raw food diet is low in calories, high in fiber and high in vitamins, minerals, and disease-fighting phytochemical.  But it also has a lot of drawbacks. First of all, it is very restrictive and difficult to follow diet and second of all it is a diet low in a lot of important nutrients such as protein, calcium, and B12.

The Final Word

Like with all the other diets. My approach is to eat real whole food without having to follow a particular diet. Basically, you want to take the pros of all the diets and leave all the cons.

My Favorite Raw Techniques

• Sprouting seeds, grains, and beans – Sprouting brings seeds back to life and softens them so we can eat them without cooking.
• Nut pastes and purees can substitute for cheese and other types of dairy.
• Dehydrating vegetables can boost flavor (think dates) but also create food textures such as “chips”
• Blending or processing all kinds of ingredients can be processed to create dips, smoothies, desserts and more. Check my Raw Strawberry Cheesecake to make a delicious raw dessert.

To create this Raw Breakfast Buckwheat Porridge it’s as simple as soaking the groats for at least an hour (overnight is my preferred method though) and then mixing all of the ingredients in a food processor. You can adjust the texture of the porridge by adjusting the length of time you process it. A short amount of time will keep it on the chunky side and a longer amount of time will make it smoother.

Into the buckwheat porridge I added cinnamon and nutmeg but you can switch it up for any spice you like.

Raw Buckwheat Breakfast Porridge

November 12, 2018

Servings: 4 servings

Difficulty: easy

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This overnight coconut buckwheat porridge is a filling, healthy, and vegan breakfast porridge recipe made with buckwheat, coconut milk, and chia seeds and sweetened with dates.

By: Mariana Diez

Ingredients

• 1 cup buckwheat groats
• ¼ cup chia seeds
• 3 cups unsweetened vegetarian milk (coconut, almond)
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp. cinnamon
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup cashews
• 3-5 dates
• For the Toppings:
• 1/2 cup berries
• 1 banana
• 2 tbsp. cacao nibs

Directions

• Step 1 Mix buckwheat groats, chia seeds, coconut milk, water, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl. Stir, cover and let it sit overnight in the fridge.
• Step 2 Soak cashews in warm water for one hour approx.
• Step 3 Drain and rinse the cashews.
• Step 4 Add the buckwheat mix, cashews and dates to the food processor and process until smooth.
• Step 5 Divide into bowls and garnish with desire toppings.

Fuel up in the morning with this Healthy Skillet Baked Eggs with Kale. Best part is that it is low in carbs and high in protein.

I recently bought this individual cast iron on Amazon and I have loved it o far. Initially I got it to prepare my Healthy Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Cookie Skillet but I have been testing some new recipes on it.

What I really like about the cast iron is that they are tons of recipes you can prepare. Ranging from breakfast to dessert, indoor to outdoors. There is really no limit. I am thinking my new recipe will involve something with apples. Maybe an Apple Cobbler? Will see.

Anyway getting back to my Healthy Skillet Baked Eggs with Kale if you don’t have a lot if times in the morning you want to make sure you prepare your kale mix the night before. That way the next morning you only have to add the eggs and bake them in the oven for about 15 minutes. You can set up the timer and let them cook while you shower or get yourself ready for work.

You will probably notice the recipe calls for cream, and are probably wondering how can this be healthy. Well, let me tell you is all about balance. Remember I have talked on previous post how I don’t follow a particular diet or have some list of prohibited foods. This is beacuse prohibitng yourself from certiain food will only make you crave them more. So allow yourself to eat in consideration that not so healthy stuff you are craving. And you will see how the craving dissapear. Plus, cream is not that all bad. You just want to stick to the organic version so you don’t get all that hormones that need nothing to do on your body.

Healthy Skillet Baked Egg with Kale

November 5, 2018

Servings: 1s erving

Difficulty: easy

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These Healthy Skillet Baked Egg with Kale is high in protein and fiber.

By: Mariana Diez

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• ¼ yellow onion
• 2 cups chopped kale
• 2 tbsp. Greek yogurt
• 2 tbsp. cream
• 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
• 2 eggs

Directions

• Step 1 Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil. As soon as oil begins to smoke add the onion and sauteé until soft.
• Step 2 Add the kale and cook until soft.
• Step 3 Transfer your kale into a bowl and add the yogurt, cream and pinch of salt.
• Step 4 Transfer kale mixture to your cast iron skillet.
• Step 5 Make 2 deep holes in the center and carefully break 1 egg into each hollow.
• Step 6 Bake until egg whites are set, 10-15 minutes.